Danish high court overturns acquittal in rape case

All three defendants will now serve jail time

A new verdict was handed down in Copenhagen today to three young men in one of Denmark’s most high-profile rape cases.

Østre Landsret, the high court of eastern Denmark, overruled an earlier acquittal in the case of the rape of a drunk and diabetic 17-year-old victim in Herfølge, a suburb of Køge, in September 2014. The girl was found unresponsive behind bushes at a community centre in Herfølge.

The three defendants, all 17-years-olds at the time of the attack, have now been convicted of rape or attempted rape and given jail terms. An acquittal in April  at the district court in Roskilde sparked anger and demonstrations.

Too drunk to consent
In today’s ruling, the high court deemed that the victim was so drunk and affected by her diabetes that she was unable to consent to sex.

The district court had found that the girl – who was found with multiple abrasions on her body and lacerations to her vagina and anus – was able to consent.

The girl admitted that she was extremely drunk and said that her blood sugar levels were several times higher than normal.

A positive step
Two of the young men have received eight-month prison sentences, and the third a six-month jail term. Two of the defendants admitted not knowing the girl’s name.

Rape activists said they hoped the verdict would give other victims the courage to come forward, saying that the earlier acquittal, based partially on the fact that the girl had danced with one of her assailants, had sent the wrong signal.

TOP STORIES

  • Danish universities increase security checks on researchers from China, Russia, and Iran, reports DR

    Danish universities increase security checks on researchers from China, Russia, and Iran, reports DR

    Danish universities, especially Aarhus University, now rigorously screen researchers from China, Russia, and Iran to prevent espionage, following recommendations and increasing concerns about security, reports DR

  • Danish Originals S7E5: Camilla Stærk

    Danish Originals S7E5: Camilla Stærk

    This week, Bonderup-born, London-trained, New York-based Danish designer Camilla Stærk talks about her work, anchored against a strong foundation of her Danish heritage combined with her fascination with Old Hollywood and film noir, and expressed in what she describes as the whole universe: of fashion, furniture, lighting, rugs, accessories

  • Young Copenhageners supply study grants by selling cocaine

    Young Copenhageners supply study grants by selling cocaine

    In recent years, the spread of cocaine has accelerated. The drug is easily accessible and not only reserved for wealthy party heads. Copenhagen Police have just arrested ten young people and charged them with reselling cocaine

  • 5 Mistakes I Made When I Moved to Denmark

    5 Mistakes I Made When I Moved to Denmark

    Here are five mistakes I made that helped me understand that belonging isn’t a strategy—it’s a practice. This isn’t a story of struggle—it’s a reflection on growth, told through the lens of emotional intelligence.

  • Analysis shows that many students from Bangladesh are enrolled in Danish universities

    Analysis shows that many students from Bangladesh are enrolled in Danish universities

    Earlier this year, the Danish government changed the law on access for people from third world countries to the Danish labor market. Yet, there may still be a shortcut that goes through universities

  • Danish Flower company accused of labor abuse in Türkiye

    Danish Flower company accused of labor abuse in Türkiye

    Queen Company, a Denmark-origin flower producer with pristine sustainability credentials, is under fire for alleged labor rights violations at its Turkish operation, located in Dikili, İzmir. Workers in the large greenhouse facility have been calling decent work conditions for weeks. The Copenhagen Post gathered testimonies from the workers to better understand the situation

Connect club

Connect Club is your gateway to a vibrant programme of events and an international community in Denmark.

Sign up here

Career

  • “It’s possible to lead even though you don’t fit the traditional leadership mold”

    “It’s possible to lead even though you don’t fit the traditional leadership mold”

    Describing herself as a “DEI poster child,” being queer, neurodivergent and an international in Denmark didn’t stop Laurence Paquette from climbing the infamous corporate ladder to become Marketing Vice President (VP) at Vestas. Arrived in 2006 from Quebec, Laurence Paquette unpacks the implications of exposing your true self at work, in a country that lets little leeway for individuality

  • Deal reached to bring more foreign workers to Denmark

    Deal reached to bring more foreign workers to Denmark

    Agreement between unions and employers allows more foreign workers in Denmark under lower salary requirements, with new ID card rules and oversight to prevent social dumping and ensure fair conditions.

  • New association helps international nurses and doctors Denmark

    New association helps international nurses and doctors Denmark

    Kadre Darman was founded this year to support foreign-trained healthcare professionals facing challenges with difficult authorisation processes, visa procedures, and language barriers, aiming to help them find jobs and contribute to Denmark’s healthcare system

Want to advertise your job with CPH Post?

Contact us

Jobs